Mark Messier on Edmonton's New Coach: 'I Am Absolutely Shocked They Hired Him'

Mark Messier spent 12 seasons in Edmonton and is a Hall of Famer, and he didn't hold back about the team's new coach. On an ESPN conference call Wednesday, he said he was horrified the Oilers hired Mike Babcock and absolutely shocked, given what he'd heard from reputable people about how Babcock treated them.

Babcock's record on the bench is strong: a Stanley Cup in Detroit and two Olympic golds with Canada. His reputation with players is not. Johan Franzen said Babcock's verbal attacks contributed to his emotional breakdown. Toronto fired him in 2019, and Brendan Shanahan said his methods weren't appropriate or acceptable. Columbus hired him in 2023, and he resigned before coaching a game after asking to look through players' phone photos. In June, the NHL said an investigation found no basis to keep him out of the league.

The part Messier liked even less

Edmonton let its stars help pick him. Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman vetted Babcock personally, and CEO of hockey operations Jeff Jackson said they'd earned that voice. Messier said he'd never heard of players interviewing a coach and argued there has to be a line between management, coaches and players. If things go bad, he asked, who do the players go to when their own leaders helped make the hire?

He isn't alone. Mike Commodore said anyone who helped Babcock get another chance should be ashamed, and Daniel Winnik, who played for him in Toronto, called him a bully. Babcock, 63, replaces Kris Knoblauch, who took the Oilers to two straight Finals before a first-round exit last spring.